


The Telling

by giraffewrites



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Chapter 137, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Rape Recovery, The very very beginning of rape recovery, discussion of rape/sexual assault, self blaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:16:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28550745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giraffewrites/pseuds/giraffewrites
Summary: Set in chapter 137, an au of if after telling Hera, Persephone had gone on to tell Hades about what happened between herself and Apollo.Fresh tears pour down Persephone’s face, and before he knows it, she’s broken away from his hands to push herself into him. His arms wrap around her without second thought. He balls his fists up in attempt to stop the shaking. He holds her close, not casting a single thought or care for the dampness coming through his suit. He has never held particularly high regards of Apollo, but this… he never thought that he’d do such a thing.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 117





	The Telling

**Author's Note:**

> For Ella, who binged Lore Olympus with me and who I am very glad that I have in my life. I hope you enjoy <3 and thank you to Victor (@purple_virtue on Twitter!) for doing some last minute beta reading for me!
> 
> Please be careful whilst reading, nothing is explicit and I've tagged as best as I can, but be careful nonetheless, please.
> 
> As mentioned this is the very, very beginning of rape recovery for Persephone, but it is very much hinted at rather than outright done. In no one in this does she actually recovery from what happens, more so begins the journey at the very, very start.
> 
> I hope none of this is OOC, as I've never written these characters nor the fandom, itself. As stated in the summary it happens between Persephone telling Hera what happened and Hades telling her he has an idea to blow off some steam.

Often enough, there is some kind of noise happening from beyond Hades’ windows, in the realm in which everyone seems to forget he runs. If not, it can be found from inside his apartment, usually thanks to one of his dogs, whining for attention or begging for food whilst Hades cooks. However, right now is silent, and it is heavier than Hades has ever known it to be.

His hands are cupped around Persephone’s cheeks, never having left from when they’d sat there to accompany his words of encouragement as Persephone had struggled with her breathing. It’s only when his fingers become wet does he realise she’s crying, and it is only then he is able to speak, coming out of the shock he’d been launched into. “Kore-“

“I know it’s cowardly,” Persephone cuts him off, holding onto his wrists as if he’s about to push her away. “But I-I-“

“Nothing you have ever done is cowardly,” Hades insists. Anger rises in him like it never has before, hot and heavy, only kept inside of him for the sake of Persephone. “And none- _none_ of it was your fault.”

Fresh tears pour down Persephone’s face, and before he knows it, she’s broken away from his hands to push herself into him. His arms wrap around her without second thought. He balls his fists up in attempt to stop the shaking. He holds her close, not casting a single thought or care for the dampness coming through his suit. He has never held particularly high regards of Apollo, but this… he never thought that he’d do such a thing.

A silence has once again fallen on them, though this one lays upon them with misery and heartache rather than the shock and anxiety the first one had. It is once again Hades who breaks it. “None of this is because of you,” he promises her, pressing his nose into the top of her head. “There is not an aspect of it that you are to blame for.”

“But I didn’t out-rightly say no-“

“There are more ways to say no than the word itself,” Hades replies, just about managing to keep his voice calm, the flame of anger flickering in his chest angrily. Calmness has always been something Persephone naturally gifts him with, but right now he’ll admit he’s struggling. He cannot get over what she told him. “You are not to blame for this, Kore. I promise.”

Persephone nods her head, though Hades can’t help but question if she really believes it. His angry dies down and turns into sorrow as Persephone’s tears start again. There will be a time and place to sort Apollo out, but right now Hades wants to, needs to, focus on her.

He leads them over to the couch, of which is normally used for the dogs when they’ve managed to win him over and gain scraps of meat and vegetables. It’s just big enough for the two of them, their knees touching one another, hands gripped together, unable to tell who’s holding who whose tightest.

Hades moves himself closer when the tears don’t stop, and slides his arms around her as she pushes herself into his side. He takes his jacket off to slide over her back as the wind blows in through the top window, of which he leaves open should he ever burn his dinner. He’s cautious of where his hands sit, but this seems to be a little problem for Persephone, as she takes his hand to rest her cheek against, lacing her dainty fingers between his larger ones.

“Hera said she’ll sort out the sim card,” she tells him, eyes closed as she speaks. “And I’m grateful, I am,” her other hand finds Hades’, and they squeeze one another’s, “but it doesn’t stop it from hurting.”

A pang of pain rings out in Hades’ chest, and only stops himself from pulling Persephone into his arms in fear of startling her. “Of course it doesn’t, Sweetness,” he says quietly, leaning down to rest their foreheads together. “What you’ve been through is traumatic, Trauma isn’t something you get through easily. It can be like running a race in shoes that’re ten times too big for you, or trying to swim through quicksand. There is no strict timeline of healing, you must take it at your own speed, for yourself.”

When she finally opens her eyes to look up at him, they’re glossy and spilling tears still. “If it’s like running a race in shoes too large or swimming through quicksand… does that not make it impossible to do? To get through?”

Hades shakes his head. “It is different for everyone. And it is often hard, especially at the beginning, but you’ll get there. Recovery is often a journey, not a destination. Look at me, I still have nightmares about my father all this time later.” He squeezes her hand back the moment she does his. “There will be good days and there will be bad days. Some are harder than others, but some are also better than others.”

“Will you be here with me?” Persephone asks. “To get through them, both good and bad, I mean.”

Hades removes one of his hands from Persephone’s to tuck some hair behind her ear. “I will be by your side until you grow sick of me.”

Persephone cracks the first smile since she came back in the room. “I could never grow sick of you, Hades.”

Hades cups her face. “And I never of you, Kore.”

She holds his wrists and scoots forward, practically sitting on his lap, and places their foreheads together. “Thank you for listening to me.”

“Thank you for telling me,” he replies, the pads of his thumbs brushing against her cheeks. “It was very brave of you, and I’m glad that you told me.”

A few moments of silence, this time without any malice or ill feelings wrapped inside, lay upon them, before Persephone speaks. “Hades…” she waits until his eyes open to continue, “are you going to go after him?”

Hades would like to do much more than simply go after him. If Zeus is eager to ‘make an example’ out of Persephone, then Hades does not know how to word what he’d like to do to Apollo, brother’s child or not. “No,” he replies, seeing the shock on Persephone’s face. “As much as I’d like to, I will not act without you or your permission. This will be dealt with in the way that you want it to be, and no one else’s.”

“What… what if I’m not ready to do anything… just yet?”

“Then that is fine, also,” Hades promises. “As I said, what you want is how I shall act.”

Persephone smiles again, and Hades knows that he does not want to go a day without seeing such a beautiful thing. “Thank you,” she says, moving so she’s more comfortable, “not just for that, but for everything. Although, he’s taken up so much of tonight, so much of my time and thoughts lately…” she drifts off, looking down before continuing, fixing her eyes back on Hades, “I don’t want to give him another thought.”

 _He deserves not one of them_ goes unsaid, though Hades nods his head. “I know just the thing to get your mind off it.” He lets her off his lap and stands up, “You can wear my jacket,” he picks it up from the floor and drapes it over her. “It looks better on you, anyway.” He doesn’t miss the blush that paints her cheeks.

“Where are we going?”

“Not far, but somewhere to get your emotions out,” he explains. “Let me grab a coat and we’ll go.”

Before he can, she takes his hand and begins to walk besides him. “Right now is not a time where I don’t want you by my side.”

Hades smiles, pulling her closer. “Then stay besides you I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> If I haven't tagged something you feel needs tagging/warning, please let me know!
> 
> Twitter @giraffewrites.


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